Richard Koilor ’09

Richard Koilor ’09 and his brother Mengistu are the co-founders of Two Locals Brewing Company, the first Black-owned brewery in Philadelphia. Richard, the head brewer, recently talked with the Alumni Prep Update about his work and his Prep roots.

 

RK: We started in 2016 when I got a homebrew kit and made 1 gallon of an Irish Red Ale. The beer turned out good, and I was hooked after that. I started brewing with my brother after a few brews by myself. We joined a homebrew club so we could learn from other homebrewers and make our beers better. We eventually started to bring our beers to family events and cookouts and the reception was great, to the point that our beer was always the first gone. In 2018, we made our LLC and started to do sampling events and accept offers to pour our beer at other people's events and birthday parties. Soon enough, we started making as many friends in the Philly beer scene as possible. A lot of breweries have shared knowledge and resources to help us get to where we are now.
 
We don't have a location yet. We currently contract brew with Mainstay Independent Brewing Company in Craft Hall. We do beer pickups and walk-in orders from their space as well.
 
Our brewery is different because we are two guys who were born and raised in this city and have a different outlook on the city than others in the beer industry may have. We brewed classic styles when we were homebrewing so that we understood what went into each beer style, but it seems that people are yearning for those classic beers right now. We plan to stick to classic styles, belgians and pastry stouts. You don't find too many pastry stouts in this area, so we hope to make that our thing. And of course, we'll have multiple IPAs available.
 
APU: Tell us about your personal background and your journey to the Prep.
 
RK: West Philadelphia born and raised, in what is now considered the Cedar Park section of West Philadelphia, two blocks from Dock Street. For school, I started at The Haverford School and then transferred to St. Thomas Good Counsel, which was right up the street. At St. Thomas, I learned about 3 Catholic schools: Bonner, Carroll, and St. Joe's Prep. I chose the Prep because I wanted a city experience. I went to school in the Main Line up to high school. I grew up in the city but I knew I didn't have the street smarts that others around me had. For college, I started at St. John's University and ended at St. Joseph's University. 
 
APU: What was your Prep experience like?
 
RK: The teachers at the Prep were great; they wanted to make sure you were getting the most of the education. The Prep, indirectly, helped me become more street smart because I took SEPTA to school everyday. Being around people who looked like me, black people, was something I had been missing in my earlier years. I was happy to have met the group of friends that I did because finally I wasn't the only or 1 of 2 black people in a class anymore. I was also thankful for the A4 Alumni who were there for support as well.
 
APU: How can people stay up to date with your company?
 
RK: People can follow us on Instagram or Facebook. You can purchase beer and merch at twolocalsbrewing.com. You can always walk in and buy beer at Craft Hall (901 N. Delaware Avenue) on Fridays from 4-7 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 2-6 p.m. You can find our beer at various bottle shops and bars in Philadelphia (full list on our Instagram). Look for us at the Swarthmore Farmers Market every 3rd Saturday starting in May. Also, you can find us at Clark Park Farmers Market and Lansdowne Farmers Market throughout the summer. Look for our beer in your local Wegmans, ShopRite, and select Fresh Grocers by this summer. Check our social media for any upcoming pop-ups.

 

See below to read more about Two Locals Brewing Company:
Philadelphia Inquirer

Instagram: @twolocals

Facebook: @twolocalsbrewing